“Model to Monument” Public Sculpture Installation Opening May 22

The Art Students League of New York Announces New Public Sculpture Installation in Riverside Park

(New York, NY): Four emerging artists from The Art Students League will unveil their works in a public ceremony at 2:00 p.m. on May 22nd in Riverside Park, at 145th & The Hudson River in Manhattan. The works will be on display through May 2020.

Damon Hamm is a sculptor and designer living and working in New York, NY. He studied architecture and sculpture under luminary Athena Tacha, installation artist Johnny Coleman, printmaker John Pearson, and apprenticed for kinetic artist Hilary Harp and architect Paolo Soleri.

Jeff Sundheim is a Brooklyn-based artist working across media with a special interest in site-specific sculpture.

Gaia Grossi is a Rome-born artist now based in Brooklyn, New York. Her background is in journalism but upon moving to New York made the transition to make art rather than report on it; a career change supported by The Art Students League of New York.

Frank Michielli is a partner at Michielli + Wyetzner Architects. When not practicing architecture, he is often making clay and steel sculpture, furniture and drawings.

About Model to Monument:

Model to Monument is the Art Students League’s premier professional development program for emerging artists under the direction of League instructor and internationally acclaimed sculptor Greg Wyatt (Peace Fountain at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine), working in partnership with NYC Parks. Since 2011, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors have enjoyed these works. The design, engineering, fabrication and installation of these public artworks take place over nine months and will be unveiled Wednesday, May 22nd. For more information on Model to Monument, see:http://www.theartstudentsleague.org/special-programs/model-to-monument .

About NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks Program:
NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program has consistently fostered the creation and installation of temporary public art in parks throughout the five boroughs. Since 1967, collaborations with arts organizations and artists have produced hundreds of public art projects in New York City parks. Model to Monument is the latest in a long list of distinguished artists and organizations to exhibit in parks. Previous exhibitions have included Ai Weiwei, Roxy Paine, Tom Otterness and Ursula von Rydingsvard. http://www.nyc.gov/parks/art.

About The Art Students League of New York:
The League was founded in 1875 by students breaking away from the National Academy of Design. That independent spirit remains at The League today, where students pursue their work unconstrained by dogma, politics or burdensome tuition. We educate students in the language and process of making art in an environment where anyone who wishes to pursue arts education can realize his or her full potential. The League fulfills this mission by offering affordable, high-quality education and instruction in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and assemblage. Artists who have studied at the League include Georgia O'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, James Rosenquist and Ai-Weiwei, among others. www.theartstudentsleague.org